Mind Games
by emperorinsanity
Summary: A sniper, who resembles an old and dead adversary, targets NCIS.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters, setting, etc of NCIS.

Tony rested his head upon his fist as he stared at Abby and Ziva, who seemed to be having quite an entertaining conversation. His mouth was wide open as he tilted his head back.

"What's so interesting?" McGee asked as he looked up from his computer at Tony.

"Gossip, McGeek, gossip," Tony replied. "Their conversation seems so mesmerizing."

"What are they talking about?"

"I don't know," Tony admitted. "Its hard to read their lips when you day dream about them making out. Though, I bet that's it. Only time a girl giggles like that is when they're talking about embarassing things, like sex."

"Come on, Tony, all you ever think about is sex," McGee told him. "Doesn't mean they're talking about it."

"Well, whatever it is, its really, really-"

"What, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked entering behind him.

"Job related, boss," Tony replied quickly.

"Well, since your mind is on your job, get your ass out of your chair and let's go," Gibbs ordered.

"Right, boss," Tony said getting up, and watching Gibbs walk away.

"What do you think Abby and Ziva are really talking about?" McGee stopped Tony.

"Well, probie, you notice things when you're a great agent like me," Tony announced. "Its obvious the two are talking about something sexual. Though, Abby's not getting any. I'm sure Ziva isn't, either." He looked across at the two women. "hmmm. I bet it could be lesbian related."

"Really?"

"Oh, I hope so," Tony said. "Or if not that, a threesome." Suddenly, he was smacked from behind. "Ow!"

"Let's go, DiNozzo." Gibbs had returned and started walking out again. "Do I need to invite you, too, McGee?" As he passed Ziva and Abby, Ziva joined them. Abby went her own way smiling as she walked along.

**To Be Continued. . .**


	2. Chapter 2

"He's late," Palmer said watching Gibbs drive up in the 2007 Dodge Charger.

"Jimmy, Gibbs is never late," Dr. Donald Mallard assured the young man. "He works on his own time table."

"Oh, I see, doctor," Palmer said nervously finished packing his equipment.

"What do we have, Ducky?" Gibbs asked the medical examiner as he entered the crime scene.

"I don't know, Jethro," Ducky stated. "A single shot to the head, very professional."

"Okay. DiNozzo!" Gibbs called out.

"Yeah, boss?" DiNozzo asked moving forward.

"Start getting statements," Gibbs ordered.

"Right. . . boss," DiNozzo said moving away from McGee and Ziva to start talking to witnesses.

"Gibbs," Ziva said kneeling near the body. "Could this be gang related?"

"It's a dead Marine," Gibbs pointed out.

"Could've been some kind of gang initiation," McGee announced. He looked up at Gibbs and then down at Ziva. "You know, like someone had to kill military personnel in order to join a gang."

"What do you know about gangs, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"Not too much, boss," McGee stated as he backed down.

"Well, generally, gang killings are messy," Gibbs told him. "They aren't as professional as this. One shot, one kill, McGee. Gangs fire many bullets at one time."

"Right," McGee agreed.

"What about a dispute?" Ziva asked. "Could've been with another soldier, got into a heated argument, and BLAM!"

"Blam?" Gibbs asked with a smile.

"What?" Ziva aksed shifting her eyes between the two men.

"Nothing."

"Hey, Boss, I think I might have something," DiNozzo said returning to the group. "Seems Mrs. Miller over there is a great eye witness."

"Are you going to make me ask what she said, DiNozzo?"

"No, boss," Tony answered Gibbs. "She said she heard a gunshot, but never saw the gun."

"That doesn't help us, Tony," Ziva interrupted.

"Well, I thought it was something," Tony said. "Then she saw the man gone down. Now, they heard the gunshot, in broad daylight, Gibbs."

"Professionals have a tendency to use a silencer," Gibbs mentioned.

"Right, boss," DiNozzo agreed.

Gibbs turned and looked at the body then looked up at the tall buildings around them. "Sniper."

**To Be Continued. . .**


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure, boss?" DiNozzo asked, getting a look from Gibbs. "Of course, you are, boss."

"Okay, DiNozzo, McGee, you two start working on this crime scene," Gibbs ordered. "Ziva, go with Ducky and make sure Abs gets her Caf Pow."

"Yes, sir," Ziva said following Dr. Mallard and Palmer to the coronor's van. "I'm to ride with you two."

"But there's only enough seating for two," Jimmy Palmer said. "Unless you ride in the back with the corpse."

**Ducky glared over at Palmer for a moment. **

**"What?" Jimmy asked nervously.**

**"So, where did the shot come from?" Gibbs asked.**

**"Well, boss, according to the position the victim was in, that direction," Tony pointed.**

**"Yeah, and in the forehead, too," Gibbs noted as he examined the rooftops.**

**Back at the medical van, Palmer was riding in the back, while Ziva took the passenger seat beside Ducky. "Are you comfortable back there, Jimmy?" She asked with slight amusement.**

**"Oh, yes," he smiled. "I'm fine."**

**Gibbs turned to see the medical van take off. "We'll have a better idea of how the scene is once Ducky gets me that coronor report."**

**"So, theories?" Tony asked.**

**"I think the shooting could've been random," McGee stated.**

**"That's the problem, probie, you think," Tony responded. "Out of everyone, why the marine?"**

**"He picked him out of a crowd of hundreds," Gibbs added. "There was a reason."**

**"And we're going to find that reason, right, boss?" Tony asked.**

**"And we're going to find the killer, too, DiNozzo," Gibbs answered.**

**"Shouldn't we reconstruct the crime scene? Get to know how he was standing, which direction he was going?" McGee questioned.**

**Gibbs turned to him and glared with a half smile.**

**"I'll get on that, boss," McGee said turning to get more eye witness reports.**

**"Why are you still standing there, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked. "You were gathering information from the witnesses."**

**"But McGee is doing that now," Tony told him.**

**"Yeah, so?"**

**"I guess he might not ask something important," Tony said turning to follow McGee to the crowd.**

**Ziva made it back to the lab to find Abby blaring her music. She smiled seeing the forensics tech in her usual work atmosphere. She set down the Caf Pow in front of Abby, who immediately went wide-eyed and glomped the Israeli woman. **

**"Thank you, so much," Abby said releasing Ziva and turning to swipe up her drink and gulp it down. "Oh, yes! I needed that."**

**"You're welcome," Ziva told her. **

**"So, what's Gibbs got for me? Something totally gruesome?"**

**"No, possible sniper," Ziva stated. **

**"What?" Abby asked, feeling her chills cover her skin and her stomach get butterflies. "A sniper?"**

**"Yeah," Ziva assured her.**

**Abby swallowed hard. "But. . . but that's how Kate died." Her eyes began to tear up. "I don't think I can. . ."**

**Ziva wrapped her arms around the girl again hoping to comfort her. Over the time, she had grown more emotional than she had proven to be in the past. **

**To be Continued. . . **


	4. Chapter 4

"What is it, Ziva?" Gibbs yelled through the phone.

"Abby says she won't do this case because a sniper is involved, sir," Ziva stated.

"Well," Gibbs was at a loss for words. "Convince her to do otherwise."

"How?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know, think of something," Gibbs told her. "Threaten to take away her Caf Pow."

"She might bite," Ziva admitted.

Abby immediately made a horrible face, scrunched up baring her teeth.

"In fact," Ziva started, "I'm sure she will."

"Well, bite back," Gibbs said slamming his flip phone shut. "Okay, Dinozzo, whatcha got?"

"That rooftop, boss," Tony pointed. "We've reconstructed the crime scene. The man was standing here. Shot in the forehead." Tony demonstrated the point of impact with his finger. "He falls here."

"Tell me something I don't know, Tony!" Gibbs exclaimed.

"Well, I had a big breakfast, and am dying for lunch," Tony joked.

Gibbs glared at him.

"That's not what you meant," Tony said softly. "Okay, so with the set up of things, the shooter was up there."

"Okay, I'm going up there to see if I can find anything," Gibbs told them as he walked off. "Come on, McGee."

"I'll just stay here, then, boss," Tony said as he knelt down and examined the blood stain.

"Gibbs stated that you have to do your job," Ziva stated. "We need you, Abby." She jerked the Caf Pow away from her.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Abby said trying to get it back. She pulled, but Ziva was too strong for her.

Ziva slipped and spilled the drink over Abby's shirt. "Oops."

"Look what you did!" Abby cried out. "Now, I gotta go change."

Ziva pulled a towel from a drawer and began dabbing Abby's top. "I'm sorry, Abby," Ziva said sympathetically. "I guess my duck is cooked."

"No, its okay," Abby said sadly. "And its your goose. Your goose is cooked." She pulled off her lab coat and set it to the side. "I'll be right back."

Gibbs finally got to the roof with McGeeand looked around for a shell casing. He had been a sniper in the Marines, and knew what to look for. He moved to the side that faced the street. He looked for DiNozzo. "See anything, McGee?"

"Not yet, boss," McGee said.

Gibbs dialed Tony's cell. "Yeah, boss?" Tony asked.

"Do you see us?" Gibbs asked.

"Uh, yeah, boss," Tony answered looking up at him.

"This would be a good position," he told McGee. "But I don't see. . ."

"Here, boss," he said. "Sniper round."

"These are military bullets," Gibbs noted. "I've used these before."

"So, not a hitman, not an ameteur," McGee said. "What are we dealing with?"

"I don't know," Gibbs said. "Let's get that cartidge to the lab and have Abby check it for prints."

"Right," McGee agreed.

Once back at the office, Gibbs went to his desk as McGee and Tony went down to the Lab.

"I'm fine, Ziva," Abby said as she tried to push off ziva's help. She pulled her shirt down, covering all her tattoos now. "Really." She turned and bumped her chest into Ziva's, but froze. "You spilled my Caf Pow, I'll manage."

"I'll get you another," Ziva assured her not budging from being so close to Abby.

Tony and McGee entered and watched the girls dart into different directions. "What's going on here?" McGee asked.

"Nothing," Abby said. "Ziva spilled my Caf Pow. . ."

"Oh, no," Tony stated. "That's like spilling Gibbs' coffee. You just don't do it."

"I'm going out to get her another," Ziva said heading back towards the office.

"What guys?" Abby asked staring at them.

Tony and McGee were speechless, since they had been watching the two girls standing practically chest to chest.

Gibbs picked up the phone when it rang. "Hello?"

"special Agent Gibbs?" The voice asked in an Isreali voice.

"Yes?"

"I believe you have one dead Marine in your morgue," the man stated.

"Who is this?" Gibbs asked, knowing the voice was familiar.

"Now, now, Special Agent Gibbs, I can't let you know the answer to that, if you don't already know," the man told him.

Then it hit Gibbs. The voice was of a dead man. That dead man was Ari Haswari.

To Be Continued. . .


	5. Chapter 5

"By your silence, I take it you know who I am, Special Agent Gibbs," the man said.

"Yeah," Gibbs agreed as he looked around the office.

"Don't bother looking for me. I'm not anywhere to be found."

"Oh, I think I'm gonna find you," Gibbs stated.

Ziva began walking through the office toward the elevator.

"I see my lovely sister is still working for you," the man told him.

"Yeah," Gibbs said, not sure what else to say. "I tell you what. When you decide to crawl out from that rock you're hiding under, let me know. So, I can smash your head with it." HE hung up the phone and followed Ziva to the elevator. Once on, he waited for the doors to close and it to head down before stopping it.

"What is it, Gibbs?" Ziva asked.

"Where are you going, Special Agent David?"

"To get Abby another Caf Pow," she answered. "Why?"

"Because I just got an interesting call," he told her. "Do you have any other siblings?"

"None, why?"

"Someone called in saying they were the sniper that took down our dead marine," Gibbs explained. "He sounded an aweful lot like Ari Haswari to me."

"Gibbs," Ziva said plainly. "You know as well as I do that Ari is dead. Whoever that was that called is not Ari. They're playing you for a fool."

Gibbs arched his eyebrows and cocked his head. "You should know by now that I don't get fooled by anyone."

"But you're thinking my brother has returned from the grave, Gibbs," Ziva said angrily. "I say you're a fool."

Gibbs pulled out his tape recorder and began to play it. "Listen to it, Ziva! Hear for yourself."

Ziva listened intently to the last part of their conversation. Her eyes widened and began to grow tearful. "But. . . how?"

"I don't know, but that's what I'm going to find out," Gibbs said starting the elevator again. Once down, Ziva got off, but Gibbs started for the morgue. He needed to see Ducky.

"You see, Mr. Palmer," Ducky started. "This bullet is. . ."

"Ducky," Gibbs said upon entering.

"Ah, Jethro," Ducky greeted. "I'm glad you showed up."

"What do you have for me?" Gibbs asked.

"The bullet found in our marine here is the exact same bullet used by-"

"Isreali snipers?" Gibbs asked.

"Why, yes, how did you know?" Ducky questioned him.

"Because I got a call while I was in the office," Gibbs explained. "From Ari Haswari."

"Isn't he dead?" Ducky asked. "I do believe I performed an autopsy on him."

"Yes, Ducky, which is why I'm here," Gibbs told him. "The bullet."

"Is the exact same one that killed Kate, I'm afraid," Ducky stated. "What's going on, Jethro?"

"I don't know, but I don't like it," Gibbs said.

"Does Ziva have another brother?" Ducky asked. "Perhaps one that sounds like Ari."

"I asked, but she denies it," Gibbs answered.

"Then you should know she doesn't lie," Ducky said moving around the morgue.

"Do you have anything else for me?"

"Not as of yet, Jethro, but I'll call you when I can," Ducky said as Gibbs left.

"Do you really think it could be Ari?" Palmer asked.

"Mr. Palmer, we did the aotuposy on Mr. Haswari, he's very dead."

"Right, Doctor," Jimmy Palmer said nervously.

DiNozzo and McGee were still in Abby's lab looking over what she found, but they were still distracted by what they had seen earlier. "Abby?"

"No, Tony," she said quickly.

"But I didn't even ask my question, yet," he told her.

"Just leave her alone, Tony," McGee stated.

"Oh, come on, Probie, you want to know just as bad as I do," Dinozzo announced.

"Not really, no," McGee argued.

"Drop it, Tony," Abby warned.

"But I'm wondering if there is anything going on between you and. . ."

"Who, Tony?" Gibbs asked as he entered.

"No one," Tony lied.

"Then what are you talking about?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing," Tony answer. "So, what's up, boss?"

"Ducky says the bullet is the same as the one that killed Kate," Gibbs said. "I got a phone call a while ago from Ari Haswari."

"Isn't he dead?" McGee asked.

"One would think so," Tony replied. "Unless he's like some kind of zombie." He got a look from Gibbs. "I'll shut up now."

Abby's eyes filled with tears. "I can't handle this, Gibbs. Not after the last time." He pulled off her labcoat and slammed it onto her table. "I quit!"

**To Be Continued. . .**


	6. Chapter 6

"Abby!" Gibbs called out. "You can't quit."

"Watch me," she said as she made her way out.

Gibbs grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. "Abby, I will ductape you to your chair if you don't sit down now."

"Ooh, kinky, boss," DiNozzo announced.

Gibbs turned and shot him a glare that just shouted: "shut up, DiNozzo!"

"Gibbs," Abby whimpered. "I can't do this. We have a sniper, possibly Ari, out there killing people. I mean, Kate died like that. He tried to get me, Ducky. . . You." she looked up at Gibbs.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Abby," Gibbs assured her. "And nothing is going to happen to me!"

Abby stood there as tears filled her eyes.

"I promise," Gibbs added.

Abby leaned into his arms and embraced him. "You better keep that promise, or I'll never forgive you, Gibbs."

"Don't worry," Gibbs told her. "We're going to catch this dirt bag." He turned to DiNozzo, Ziva, and McGee. "Right?"

"Right." "Right, boss." "Yes, sir." Tony, Ziva, and McGee all began to say at once.

"See?" Gibbs asked turning back to Abby now. "So, do I have to tie you to your chair?"

"No," Abby said moving back to her workstation.

"So, what do you have?" Gibbs asked, getting back to work.

"Well, this is where the shooter was," Abby said. "This is where his target was standing."

"That's a hell of a shot," DiNozzo stated.

"So, why kill our Marine?" Gibbs asked. "What made him so special?"

"Well, his possessions weren't anything special," Abby announced. "However, I did some background research on him."

"What did you find?" Gibbs asked.

"Look," she said pulling up his personal record.

"It's good to be NCIS," DiNozzo smiled. "He was part of a secret CTU in the Marine Corps."

"We'll start there! Find all the other members of that counter terrorist unit," Gibbs ordered. "Ziva stay with Abby." He started out. "DiNozzo, McGee, you're with me."

DiNozzo and McGee followed him out, but they continued glancing back to see if Abby and Ziva would start making out. Once they were out of sight, they turned and didn't look back.

"Are you alright?" Ziva asked the dark haired girl.

"No,"Aby told her. "That's a dumb question to ask, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Ziva agreed. "Listen, Abby, if there's anything I can do to make you feel better."

Abby grabbed the Caf-Pow that Ziva had brought her. "Nope, this is fine." she took it into her mouth and began sucking on the straw. Ziva licked her lips as she watched Abby.

"What?" Abby asked.

Gibbs drove the Dodge Charger fast as the men headed to find out about the CTU their dead Marine was a part of. The local Marine base was headed by General Jack Walters. Gibbs figured the other members of the team were either involved or the next targets. Once there, Gibbs lead the men straight to the general to find out where the team was.

"They're off duty," Walters stated. "Their not to report into work until 1800."

"Why so late?" Dinozzo asked.

"They have a mission to accomplish," Walters answered.

"Well, what was their recent mission?" McGee questioned the general.

"I cannot disclose that information," Walters said. "However, they were working close with Mossad on their last mission."

Tony and McGee glanced at one another. "That's a coincidence," Tony stated.

"Yeah, especially since someone has been calling and claiming to be Ari Haswari," Gibbs announced. "You're men could be involved in Colonel Sheppard's death. Who are the other members, and where are they?"

"Lt. Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, and Dr. Weir are the other members. Its a small team." Walters admitted. He pulled their files from the file cabinet. "Here. This should help."

"Thank, you, General," DiNozzo said taking up the files and looking through them.

"I have their addresses," McGee told them after he wrote them into his notepad.

"Then let's go," Gibbs said. "I hope Abby back at the crime lab can get us more information on who killed Sheppard."

Abby and Ziva were standing pretty close to one another as they looked over fingerprint scans trying to match it off the rifle cartidge. "I can't figure this out. It's like whoever did this is a ghost. Most military personnel have their fingerprints and DNA taken."

"We'll find them, Abby," Ziva assured her. "You're the best at this sort of thing."

Abby hugged Ziva tightly. "Thanks!"

"No problem," Ziva replied.

Suddenly, a bullet ripped through the lab's window and tore into a table. Ziva dove with Abby in her arms and rolled underneath the metal table.

"I knew this was going to happen!" Abby cried.

"No, you didn't, Abby," Ziva tried to comfort her as she looked up trying to find the shooter.

"You know, I. . . I'm not good at being shot at. I just can't deal with that."

"I'll protect you, Abby," Ziva told her.

"But that's your job," Abby said.

"Well, it's more than that," Ziva admitted.

"Oh?" Abby asked as more bullets rang through the windows and tore into her equipment. "HEY! That was my computer!"

"We'll get you a new one, okay?"

"But I loved that one!" Abby said angrily as Ziva rolled off her. "Oooooh, nice ass, Ziva."

Ziva shot her a look. "Are you okay?"

"Eh, sorry, like I said, I'm not good at being shot at!" Abby said nervously.

As bullets ripped through the lab again, Ziva ducked under the table once more. "I think we're in trouble."

"I'm glad you stayed with me, Ziva," Abby admitted. "I'd probably be dead if you hadn't."

"It's all part of my job, Abby," Ziva said, just as Abby grabbed her and kissed on the lips.

Ziva pulled back. "What was that for?"

"Um, saving my life?" Abby answered.

"Well. . . I. . ." Ziva then kissed her hard.

"Wait, wait," Abby said. "What was that for?"

The Charger's tires squeeled outside as they stopped right outside the labs windows. A few shots went off and then everything was silent.

Tony and McGee raced into the lab with their guns drawn looking for the girls. "Abby! Ziva!" They called out.

"Um, Tony," McGee pointed under the table.

"Wha. . ." He stared in awe for a moment.

Once Abby and Ziva realized they were being watched, they quickly got up and straightened themself up.

"What?" ziva asked. "Haven't you ever seen a girl thank another for saving her life, Tony?"

"Well, yeah, but. . . there was tongue involved," DiNozzo stated. "I wish I could get thanked like that."

Ziva ran her finger along Tony's jaw line. "I bet you do."

Gibbs then entered. "Abby, are you okay?"

"Thanks to Ziva, yes," she answered.

"We got the bastard," Gibbs told her. "Walters was trying to shut his men up about something. He was working for Mossad. That's where the device that mimiced Ari's voice came from. He knew we'd be investigating Sheppard's death. So, he started to play mind games with us so we wouldn't suspect him."

Abby pointed at her computer monitor, which was shot to pieces.

"Look," Ziva stated as she showed them the LCD monitor on the wall. There was a picture of General Walters and the fingerprints that Abby were trying to to match. "We found our match."

"A little too late," DiNozzo said.

"At least Abby is safe," Gibbs added as he put his hand on her shoulder.

"We should really put in bullet resistant glass," Abby told them.

Gibbs smiled at her and headed out.

"So, Abs," Ziva said. "How about that sleep over?"

Tony and McGee looked back and forth at one another, then looked back at Ziva and Abby.

Abby smiled at Ziva. "Sure."

Ziva headed out and smiled at the two men. "Sorry, boys, you're not invited."


End file.
